About Our Lady of the Lakes · Spicer, Minnesota
Our Lady of the Lakes is a Catholic parish in Spicer, Minnesota, in the lakes region of northern Kandiyohi County. It belongs to the Diocese of New Ulm and is one of three active parishes in the Jesus Our Living Water Area Faith Community (AFC), together with the Church of St. Mary in Willmar and the Church of St. Clara in Clara City. Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday evening and Sunday morning at the parish, while daily Masses are offered Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The parish shares an area faith community office in Willmar and a coordinated faith formation program led by Fr. Ronald Huberty as pastor and Fr. Joshua Bot as associate pastor.
- Established
- 1962
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Lakes
- Rector
- Father Ronald (Ron) Huberty
- Diocese
- Diocese of New Ulm
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Lakes is a small parish with a big heart in Minnesota's lake country, where Sunday Mass attendance swells in summer and a tight-knit year-round community welcomes visitors warmly. The parish is wired into the larger Jesus Our Living Water Area Faith Community, which gives it richer ministries than most parishes its size — daily Mass several days a week, a children's Liturgy of the Word, a youth group, Totus Tuus summer programs, Bible study and a Divine Mercy Cenacle, a Small Christian Community, a Social Justice Team, and a robust communion-to-the-homebound and Friends-in-Christ meal ministry. Newcomers quickly find ways to serve: ministry schedules are published online and there's even a 'New Ministry Interest' form for trying something new.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Lakes
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday at 8:00 am at Our Lady of the Lakes (per parish bulletin) — additional confessions available at St. Mary, Willmar Saturday 3:45-4:15 pm and St. Clara, Clara City Sunday 7:30 am
- Private appointments: contact the AFC Office at (320) 235-0118
Adoration times
- Thursday 5:00 pm Eucharistic Adoration at Our Lady of the Lakes (per parish bulletin)
History of the Jesus Our Living Water Area Faith Community
Our Lady of the Lakes is one of three active parishes of the Jesus Our Living Water Area Faith Community (AFC), created under the Diocese of New Ulm's Plan for Parishes. The AFC's history stretches back to joint pastoral council meetings that led to the formation of an Area Pastoral Council in May 2006, the naming of the AFC in 2007, and the July 1, 2010 appointment of Fr. Steve Verhelst as pastor of all four original parishes. Since then the AFC has consolidated — St. Patrick of Kandiyohi and St. Thomas More of Lake Lillian closed in 2016, St. Clara of Clara City joined in 2020 — and is now ministered to by Fr. Ron Huberty and Fr. Josh Bot.
- 2006 — Area Pastoral Council formed
- 2007 — AFC named 'Jesus Our Living Water'
- July 1, 2010 — Fr. Steve Verhelst appointed pastor
- June 30, 2016 — St. Patrick, Kandiyohi and St. Thomas More, Lake Lillian close
- July 1, 2020 — St. Clara, Clara City joins the AFC
- Dec 31, 2021 — Fr. Jerry Paulson retires but continues four daily Masses at OLOL
Mass and Sacrament Schedule
At Our Lady of the Lakes in Spicer, weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday at 4:00 pm and Sunday at 10:00 am. Daily Mass is offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8:30 am. A Thursday afternoon adoration is also part of the weekly rhythm. When a funeral is scheduled, daily Masses are suspended for that day; the parish bulletin always carries the most up-to-date schedule. Confessions at Our Lady of the Lakes are heard Wednesday morning before daily Mass; additional confessions are available at the AFC's sister parishes (St. Mary, Willmar and St. Clara, Clara City).
- Saturday Vigil — 4:00 pm (OLOL)
- Sunday — 10:00 am (OLOL)
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday — 8:30 am daily Mass
- Thursday — 5:00 pm Eucharistic Adoration
- Confessions: Wednesday 8:00 am (OLOL)
Livestream and Recorded Masses
Our Lady of the Lakes maintains its own livestream page on the AFC website, with weekend Masses broadcast live and recorded videos posted by Sunday noon. The AFC also operates a Vimeo channel under the name 'Jesus Our Living Water AFC' where previous Masses can be viewed. Funeral livestreams are published from a dedicated page on the site as well, so homebound parishioners and seasonal residents around the lakes can keep connected to the parish.
- Live Sunday Mass from Our Lady of the Lakes on the AFC website
- Vimeo channel: 'Jesus Our Living Water AFC'
- Current week's recorded Mass posted by Sunday noon
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith Formation at Our Lady of the Lakes runs through the AFC and serves students in Grades 1-11, with site coordinators dedicated to the Spicer location and two-year Confirmation preparation starting in 10th grade. The program currently registers for the 2026-2027 school year and includes sacramental preparation for Reconciliation and First Communion in Grade 2, First-Wednesday Family Meals, Parent Weekly Connections, the Totus Tuus summer program, and grade-level faith formation sessions held Wednesday evenings at 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm. Michelle Tortorella is the AFC Director of Faith Formation; Naomi Wig covers Grades 7-11 at OLOL and Neila Duchene covers Grades 1-6.
- Grades 1-11 faith formation classes
- Sacramental preparation in Grade 2 (Reconciliation and First Eucharist)
- Two-year Confirmation preparation starting in 10th grade
- Totus Tuus summer program
- Children's Liturgy of the Word at the Sunday 10 am Mass (preschoolers through Grade 1)
Confirmation
The AFC offers a two-year Confirmation preparation process for students entering 10th grade, with the bishop presiding at the celebration. The AFC emphasizes that Confirmation is not a graduation but a Sacrament of Initiation and a beginning of committed, lifelong discipleship. Candidates commit to daily prayer, weekly Mass attendance, sponsor selection, research on a saint and Confirmation name, attendance at all preparation sessions, and receiving Reconciliation before Confirmation.
- Two-year process beginning in 10th grade
- Bishop presides at Confirmation
- Expectations include Mass attendance, daily prayer, sponsor, saint research
Children's Liturgy of the Word
Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOTW) at Our Lady of the Lakes takes place during the Sunday 10 am Mass and runs September through the school year. Children age 4 through Grade 1 are called forward by the priest after the opening prayer, blessed, and led by a catechist to a separate room where the readings and Gospel are proclaimed and explained at their level; they return to their families at the Liturgy of the Eucharist. There is no registration required — any child attending Mass that morning is welcome to take part.
- Sundays during the 10 am Mass, beginning each September
- For ages 4 through Grade 1
- No registration required
Adult Faith Formation and Small Groups
Adult faith formation at the AFC is led by Ann Voller, Director of Adult Faith Formation. Small groups and faith-sharing circles meet throughout the week in Spicer and Willmar, covering Bible Study (using 'Living the Word' and 'At Home with the Word'), a monthly Divine Mercy Cenacle focused on St. Maria Faustina's writings, Small Christian Community groups, and the AFC Social Justice Team which meets the second Tuesday of the month in alternating locations and seeks to apply Catholic Social Teaching to local needs. New groups can be started by contacting the office.
- Bible Study at Our Lady of the Lakes (Mon, Wed, Thu)
- Divine Mercy Cenacle — second Thursday, 7:30 pm, Spicer
- Small Christian Community — various days and times
- AFC Social Justice Team — second Tuesday, alternating Spicer/Willmar
Pastoral Care and Community Life
Pastoral Care and Community Life is directed by Sr. Pat Imdieke and Helaine Bolter. A trained team of lay volunteers brings Holy Communion to parishioners who are hospitalized, live in nursing homes, or are homebound; family members are asked to notify the parish because of privacy laws. The 'Friends in Christ' meal ministry (coordinated in the Spicer–New London area by Debbie Becker and Becky Reiter) provides homemade meals to families experiencing illness, death, surgery, or the arrival of a new baby. The ministry page also links to a senior-care resource guide.
- Communion ministry to hospitals, nursing homes, and the homebound
- Friends in Christ meal ministry
- Senior Care and In-Home Care Guide (resources link)
Parish Administrative Council
Our Lady of the Lakes is governed day-to-day through its Parish Administrative Council, which advises the pastor (currently Fr. Ron Huberty) on the pastoral and financial needs of the parish. Council members listed on the AFC website are Ron Dobbs, Dave Henle, Sheri Lapatka, Steve Maher, Luann Sieben, Julie Taunton, and Kal Torkelson; Mary Nordstrom serves as the Area Director of Administration. Sister councils at the AFC's other parishes (St. Clara and St. Mary) operate the same way.
- Pastor: Fr. Ron Huberty
- Council members: Ron Dobbs, Dave Henle, Sheri Lapatka, Steve Maher, Luann Sieben, Julie Taunton, Kal Torkelson
- Area Director of Administration: Mary Nordstrom
Sacraments and Sacramental Preparation
The AFC prepares children and adults for the Sacraments of Initiation — Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist — as well as Reconciliation, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick. First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation begins in Grade 2, Confirmation is a two-year program starting in Grade 10, and OCIA (formerly RCIA) meets at St. Mary's in Willmar. Weddings and other sacraments are coordinated through the AFC office in Willmar, which handles phone calls and records; Our Lady of the Lakes staff can also be reached in person during office hours on Tuesday mornings and Wednesdays during Faith Formation.
- Baptism
- First Reconciliation and First Communion (Grade 2)
- Confirmation (Grades 10-11)
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick / Communion for the homebound
Music and Liturgical Ministries
Music ministry at the AFC includes an Adult Choir, a Bell Choir, and a Youth Choir, primarily based at St. Mary's in Willmar but supporting liturgies across the AFC. Liturgical ministries (lectors, Eucharistic ministers, ushers, altar servers, hospitality) are scheduled online through dedicated ministry schedulers for each parish; there is a 'New Ministry Interest' form on the AFC website for parishioners who want to try something new.
- Adult Choir and Bell Choir at St. Mary
- Youth Choir at St. Mary
- Online ministry scheduler for Our Lady of the Lakes
- New Ministry Interest form
Outreach and Service
Outreach at Our Lady of the Lakes happens through the parish itself and through the AFC's Catholic Social Teaching work. Each spring the parish hosts a Catholic United Financial 'Gather4Service' day for parishioners, CCW, and Knights of Columbus members to spruce up the church inside and out. The parish also hosts American Red Cross blood drives (e.g., a May 29, 2026 drive at the church). A new AFC-wide Tim Cayler Service Scholarship honors a parishioner who died in 2025 and is awarded to a high school senior who demonstrates Christ-centered service in the AFC.
- Gather4Service parish work days (CCW, Knights of Columbus, parishioners)
- American Red Cross blood drives at OLOL
- Tim Cayler Service Scholarship (AFC)
Closed Parishes and Records
Several parishes within the AFC's history have closed, and their records are now maintained at the Church of St. Mary in Willmar. The Diocese of New Ulm's Plan for Parishes formally closed the Church of St. Patrick in Kandiyohi and the Church of St. Thomas More in Lake Lillian on June 30, 2016; earlier closures in this part of the diocese include Sacred Heart (Raymond) and St. Anthony (Regal). The 2005 closing of St. Anthony in Regal is what brought Our Lady of the Lakes parishioners into the broader AFC family.
- Closed: Sacred Heart, Raymond
- Closed: St. Anthony, Regal (2005)
- Closed: St. Patrick, Kandiyohi (2016)
- Closed: St. Thomas More, Lake Lillian (2016)
- All closed-parish records kept at St. Mary, Willmar
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Steve Verhelst2010–
Appointed by Bishop John LeVoir on July 1, 2010 as pastor of all four parishes of the area faith community (St. Mary, Willmar; Our Lady of the Lakes, Spicer; and at the time St. Patrick, Kandiyohi, and St. Thomas More, Lake Lillian).
- Fr. Christian Adike2010s
Served as associate pastor alongside Fr. Steve Verhelst in the Jesus Our Living Water AFC.
- Fr. Jerry PaulsonRetired Dec 31, 2021
Senior Associate; after retirement he continued to preside at four daily Masses each week at Our Lady of the Lakes.
- Fr. Ronald (Ron) HubertyCurrent
Current pastor of the AFC.
- Fr. Joshua (Josh) BotCurrent
Current associate pastor.